Patricia did not respond.
Instead, she came to the house.
With a saw.
And two contractors.
Marcus was outside.
The contractors unloaded tools.
"What are you doing?" Marcus asked.
Patricia held up the notice.
"Enforcing the rules."
"You're trespassing."
"This is common-interest property."
"My backyard isn't."
"We've determined that it is association-controlled."
Marcus looked at the contractors.
"Do you have a court order?"
They looked at Patricia.
She snapped.
"Get started."
One contractor hesitated.
"Ma'am..."
"Start."
Marcus took out his phone.
He did not threaten them.
He did not touch them.
He simply began recording.
The contractors looked uncomfortable.
One finally said, "I'm not comfortable with this."
Patricia turned red.
"Fine."
She grabbed the saw.
Marcus said, "Don't."
She started it.
He stepped back.
She cut one board.
Then another.
A contractor quietly walked away.
Patricia kept going.
Marcus's neighbor called the police.
The police arrived.
An officer asked what was happening.
Patricia claimed Marcus was interfering with HOA enforcement.
Marcus showed the officer the deed.
The officer looked at the documents.
Then at Patricia.
"Ma'am, you can't remove someone's property without legal authority."
Patricia insisted.
The officer warned everyone to stop.
Patricia stopped.
But she did not apologize.
She told Marcus she would return.
Marcus believed her.
And she did.
Two weeks later.
With a surveyor present.
Except she did not know the surveyor was there to document her actions.
She believed Thomas was merely confirming the HOA's position.
That was the mistake.
Now, in the bright late-afternoon sunlight, she stood on the grass with a red reciprocating saw in her hands.
Board after board fell.
Marcus stood quietly.
Thomas recorded.
Patricia smiled.
"Finally learned who runs this neighborhood?"
Marcus looked at her.
"No."
She tilted her head.
"No?"
"You don't."
Thomas lowered the survey map slightly.
Patricia started the saw again.
The motor screamed.
She cut through another board.
It fell.
Marcus said nothing.
She cut another.
It fell.
She laughed.
"You should have done this yourself."
Marcus folded his arms.
"Keep going."
She stopped.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"You're giving me permission?"
"No."
She smiled.
"You're admitting I'm right."
"No."
"Then why aren't you stopping me?"
Marcus looked at Thomas.
Thomas nodded.
Marcus returned his gaze to Patricia.
"Because you already started."
She looked confused.
Then she smiled.
"Good."
The saw started again.
Thomas raised the map.
"Ma'am."